"Japanese leader says moving US base off Okinawa unlikely; Revisits proposal to relocate to site on island’s north" by Malcolm Foster, Associated Press | May 5, 2010
TOKYO — Japan’s prime minister said for the first time yesterday that at least part of a key US military base will remain on the southern island of Okinawa, a move that could reduce tension with Washington but dent his sinking popularity and raise the ire of island residents.
Hey, who cares what they think? They only live there.
A dispute over the relocation of Futenma Marine Corps airfield has become the focal point of US-Japan ties since Yukio Hatoyama took office in September promising to move the base off Okinawa — contrary to a 2006 agreement with Washington that called for it to be moved to a less crowded, northern part of the island.
But on his first visit to Okinawa as prime minister, Hatoyama conceded it would be difficult if not impossible to move Futenma’s facilities off the island, which hosts more than half the 47,000 American troops stationed in Japan under a security pact.
Hatoyama essentially acknowledged that his government has been unable to come up with any other viable alternatives to Nago, the proposed relocation site in the north, and is shifting back toward the 2006 plan.
“Realistically speaking, it is impossible,’’ he said, wearing a traditional Okinawan short-sleeved shirt. “We have reached a conclusion that it is difficult to relocate all of Futenma’s functions outside the country or the island because of a need to maintain deterrence under the Japan-US alliance.’’
Hatoyama’s backtracking will probably drag down his public approval ratings, which have fallen to about 20 percent amid a political funding scandal and perceived lack of leadership, and could even hurt his party’s prospects in July upper house elections.
The prime minister, who had set an end-of-May deadline for a final decision on Futenma, asked for residents’ understanding in keeping some of the base’s functions on Okinawa, while possibly moving other functions off the island — a division Washington would probably find unacceptable.
“We must ask the people of Okinawa to share the burden,’’ he said, adding that he “felt sorry’’ about the message he brought.
In Washington, P.J. Crowley, State Department spokesman, said the United States and Japan would continue an intensive evaluation of the best way to maintain American operations and to keep the alliance strong. He wouldn’t comment on specific options for the base.
“We value our alliance with Japan. We understand that this alliance both provides benefit to the American people and to the Japanese people. It also levies a burden on the American people and the Japanese people. We do recognize this,’’ Crowley said.
Okinawan residents have long complained about base-related noise, pollution, and crime. Late last month, about 90,000 people gathered to demand that Futenma be moved off the island entirely.
I sure would like to COME HOME!
F*** the Empire.
Tensions on Okinawa over the huge US military presence go back decades, but a furor erupted over the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old girl in which three American servicemen were convicted. Adding to the discontent was the 2004 crash of a US helicopter that burst into flames on a university campus, although it caused no injuries on the ground.
While Futenma’s fate remains uncertain, Hatoyama’s apparent move back toward the 2006 agreement could bring a measure of relief from Washington, which has insisted that Japan keep its side of the deal, forged with the previous conservative Tokyo government, and proceed with the move to Nago.
The way I have seen it is that the U.S. has had it in for this "change" the Japanese elected; however, they couldn't order a military coup since we are the the Japanese military.
Therefore, the U.S. propaganda machine had to rely on newspaper scandals and popularity ratings to undermine a government they did not want elected for this very reason.
American officials say that keeping the base in Okinawa is important for maintaining regional stability given the island’s geographical location — near Taiwan and China and not far from the Korean peninsula. The airfield, set in the middle of an urban area, is home to about 2,000 Marines and is one of the corps’ largest facilities in the Pacific.
US defense officials have also said that by delaying action on Futenma, Washington cannot move ahead on a broader 2006 military reorganization agreement that also involves sending 8,000 of the 18,000 Marines on Okinawa to the US territory of Guam, largely to alleviate the burden on Okinawans.
Hatoyama acknowledged that he lacked awareness when he entered office about the logistical reasons for keeping the Futenma Marine facility on the island.
“As I learned more about the situation, I’ve come to realize that they are all linked up [with the other troops] as a package to maintain deterrence,’’ he said.
According to Japanese media reports and vague comments from Cabinet members, Tokyo’s latest plan roughly follows the existing agreement and will move Futenma to a location off the coast of Camp Schwab, a US base near Nago.
You VOTE for CHANGE and you get NO CHANGE!
Instead of building the base on reclaimed land, as outlined in the original plan — which environmentalists say would damage marine life — Tokyo is floating a plan to construct a runway on a jetty that sits on pilings that go into the sea floor.
How much is that going to cost?
Even if the residents don't want it, 'eh?
"Mayors reject bid to share US base in Japan" by Bloomberg News | May 8, 2010
TOKYO — Three mayors of a tiny Japanese island told Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama yesterday they are not willing to host US troops to help resolve a political dispute that has dogged his eight-month administration.
Oh, MAYORS even!!!!
Maybe some more green i$ needed, if you know what I mean.
Hatoyama is considering moving part of the Marine Corps Futenma Air Station to Tokunoshima, an island of 26,000 people, from nearby Okinawa, where residents have staged protests against relocating it on the island.
“The public is absolutely opposed,’’ Akira Okubo, one of the three mayors, told Hatoyama at the beginning of a meeting yesterday in Tokyo. “Please understand the public will is for no facility whatsoever and that definitely won’t change.’’
But you GET IT ANYWAY in a DEMOCRACY!!!!
Public support for Hatoyama has plummeted because of his inability to resolve the dispute, prompting calls within the ruling party for him to come up with a solution or step down. His approval rating fell to 20.7 percent, according to a Kyodo News survey conducted April 28 and 29....
Totally expected when you serve a foreign master; it is happening to Obama right now.
Okubo, Kosuke Ohisa, and Hideki Takaoka handed Hatoyama a petition signed by a majority of Tokunoshima’s population. The three men emphasized that 15,000 people rallied on the island last month against accepting the base....
--more--"
They still won't listen:
"US and Japan agree to keep Marine air base in Okinawa; Prime minister cites security amid Korea crisis" by Malcolm Foster, Associated Press | May 29, 2010
TOKYO — Washington and Tokyo agreed yesterday to keep a contentious US Marine base in Okinawa, with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama highlighting the importance of the Japanese-American security alliance amid rising tension on the nearby Korean peninsula....
Related: Korean False Flag All About Okinawa
Yeah, CUI BONO off ANOTHER false flag, 'eh?
The decision breaks Hatoyama’s campaign promise and has infuriated Okinawa residents who have complained about pollution, noise, and possible danger from the bases across the island.
In a news conference broadcast nationwide, Hatoyama repeatedly apologized for failing to keep his pledge to move the base off the island....
Hatoyama said the government had investigated 40 sites as alternatives for Futenma, including options off the island, but none worked. He said Futenma’s helicopter and air assets were needed for nearby Marine infantry units based on the island in times of emergency — reminding listeners that recent events on the Korean peninsula had made the region “extremely tense.’’
“In Asia, there still remain unstable and uncertain factors, including the sinking of a South Korean warship by North Korea,’’ he said.
“I had to give the Japan-US agreement the priority because maintaining the trust between Japan and the US serves as the best deterrence,’’ Hatoyama added.
In Okinawa, about 1,000 people gathered in front of the city hall in Nago, the nearest city to Henoko, to voice their anger at the agreement, with some holding up banners with the Japanese character for “rage.’’
The decision also rattled Hatoyama’s Cabinet. He dismissed Gender Equality and Consumer Affairs Minister Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, because she refused to accept the agreement.
“I couldn’t betray the Okinawans,’’ she said....
Her party, a junior member in the ruling coalition, will hold an executive meeting tomorrow to decide whether to stay in the coalition. Because of the party’s small size, its possible withdrawal from the coalition most likely would not cause Hatoyama’s Democratic Party of Japan-led government to fall. But his poor handling of the Futenma issue could hurt the Democrats’ performance in upper house elections, to be held around July.
Under a 1960 security pact, American armed forces are allowed broad use of Japanese land and facilities. In return, the United States is obliged to respond to attacks on Japan and protect the country under its nuclear umbrella.
The United States and Japan “recognized that a robust forward presence of US military forces in Japan, including in Okinawa, provides the deterrence and capabilities necessary for the defense of Japan and for the maintenance of regional stability,’’ said the joint statement, which was issued by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada of Japan, and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa.....
--more--"
Whole thing cost him his job.
"Prime minister resigns in Japan; Cites battle over Okinawa base, funding scandal" by Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press | June 2, 2010
TOKYO — Embattled Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan said today that he is resigning over his broken campaign promise to move a US Marine base off the southern island of Okinawa.
If Obama did that he would have been gone long ago for a list of reasons.
The prime minister faced growing pressure from within his own party to resign ahead of next month’s upper house elections. His approval ratings had plummeted over his bungled handling of the relocation of the Marine Air Station Futenma, which reinforced his public image as an indecisive leader.
Oh, the party cut him loose.
Hatoyama is the fourth Japanese prime minister to resign in four years.
Hey, if they are not working properly you get a new one.
Until last night, Hatoyama insisted he would stay on while intermittently holding talks with key members of his Democratic Party of Japan. But this morning, after eight months in office, Hatoyama faced the nation to say he is stepping down.
“Since last year’s elections, I tried to change politics in which the people of Japan would be the main characters,’’ he told a news conference broadcast nationwide....
Hatoyama's government came to power amid high hopes in September after his party soundly defeated the long-ruling conservatives in lower house elections.
Last week, he said he would go along with the 2006 agreement to move the base to a northern part of the island, infuriating residents who want it off Okinawa entirely....
I'm infuriated, too, and I'm American!
BRING the frikkin' troops HOME!!!
--more--"
